June 16, 2013

10 Things i Love About my Father

1. his corny jokes. [no one will ever be as corny as my dad. corny in the best way possible. there’s a definite skill to the pun and the off-the-cuff dirty rhyme and my dad has perfected this over many years. no need to ask for it. just wait and you’ll be wondering why you’re laughing so hard over something so silly.]

2. his ability to be gentle. [i got a splinter a few weeks ago and my first thought was, “well that thing is going to be stuck in there until i go home for a visit.” he’s like a surgeon with a tweezer. it’s out in 2 seconds and you never even knew it was there.]

3. his ability to do everything well. [wtf is up with this? he picks up a golf club for the first time EVER and hits straight and long. he tries a video game he’s never seen before and beats you without breaking a sweat. naturally good at everything, he’s always been my inspiration that we can do anything we set our minds to with grace and confidence.]

4. his unwavering support. [i honestly believe that if i woke up tomorrow and decided i wanted to be a prostitute he’d say something like, “okaayyy, that’s cool. now let’s talk about the positives and negatives of this profession.” not literally, but close enough.]

5. his back scratches. [i learned from my father that there is no better cure for anything in the world than a great back scratch. i’m still looking for a great back scratcher in L.A. but i doubt anyone’s really going to be able to measure up.]

6. his love of a good time. [some may call it knocking back a few but my dad calls it getting “double goosed.” this can be a direct reference to number 1 and it’s pretty awesome.]

7. his love in general. [let’s face it, nobody loves you like your parents. i happen to be lucky enough to have great friends in my life whom i call family, but nothing means more than the unconditional love from my father. it’s that “i’d run in front of a bus to make you smile” kind of feeling that only he can give.]

8. his sense of adventure. [getting lost in the wilderness of Costa Rica. ice fishing with hot chocolate at 5am in New Jersey. hiking until we’re lost in the Blue Ridge Mountains. i’ve heard a few stories about some crazy times in the Virgin Islands before i was born. yeah, i’d say he’s willing to jump in and soak up every minute of it.]

9. his compassion. [my father taught me how to be fair and to always try and put myself in someone else’s shoes. i like to think of myself as a compassionate person and i learned by example. i may be one of the few only children in the world who tries desperately to share. but really, i mostly want to share with him.]

10. his love of being a father – to a girl. [the story goes that my father always wanted a girl and i am sure this must be true. my dad has always done everything with me from fishing to watching movies to golfing to dancing to tree hopping in Costa Rica. i’ve never once had the feeling that my dad would have been happier having a son and i’ve never been more happy to be a daughter.]